Spring 1989
Why Interim Week?
by Bud Church
An Interim Week Rock-Climbing with Bud L.:
Rachel Hedrick tries out the equipment
Fa;
each of the eight years I have been at
Hammonasset, I have spent at least one Interim Week
a year in a canoe. I have led overnight canoe trips on
The Connecticut River. I have led day trips on smaller
rivers and tidal estuaries along the coast. I have a
passion for canoeing. In a canoe I find my total self body, mind, spirit- alive and joyful, connected to the
water, the landscape, the horizon, the canoe itself, even
the paddle, as if all were one.
I also know a good deal about canoeing. For me,
knowing how to do a true "J" stroke silently and effortlessly
is as important a knowledge as knowing how to read
Moby Dick in its depths or knowing how to make a
sentence work, both of which I value enormously.
Interim Week gives me a chance to share some of that
passion and pass on a little of that knowledge. To do it
actively, in the out-of-doors, as the sole focus for a full
week, is to give something of myself to young people in
an important way different from how I give of myself in
the classroom.
Multiply that by twelve to fifteen other teachers and
the multitude of activities they sponsor because they
have love for and competence in those activities, and
you get some idea oft he power of Interim Week: Bud L.
and Janet K. backpacking in The Shenandoahs or The
Adirondacks, Allan and Judi rafting through The Grand
Canyon, Bonnie trekking the streets of Chicago, Deac
woodcarving in the Arts Barn, Marina cooking Spanish
cuisine, Ruthann refinishing furniture or running a
program in women's self-defense, to name only a few.
The students come away from such experiences
exhilarated, aware, fee ling connections to school and to
each other that they hadn't known before.
The benefits of Interim Week are many. All the
members of a group involved in real life activities have
to get along, pull their weight, be responsible. An Interim
Week activity always requires the practice of community
and good judgment. Classrooms tend to insulate kids
from that kind of minute-to-minute responsibility and
sense of judgment, or they tend to make it artificial.
Interim Week demands the real thing. Even when a
class is rigorous and challenging, classroom life tends
to be predictable. Interim Week, on the other hand,
requires a resourcefulness and a readiness for dealing
with the unpredictable of the kind that life itself demands.
Interim Week also provides a good deal of straight
learning, of facts and knowledge made meaningful
through the immediacy of the context. When students
canoe with me they learn about tides, about local
history, about Native American lore, about the physics
of re.lative forces, about ecology, about maps and
topography, about soils and water, about botany and
geology and marine life, about weather. Every Interim
Week activity could give an equivalent listing of learnings
well worth taking a week to experience in the world
where they are best experienced.
"Classrooms tend to insulate kids from
that kind of minute-to-minute
responsibility and sense of judgment,
or they tend to make it artificial. Interim
Week demands the real thing."
Sometimes some of us feel as educators that such
learning should be more than just a couple of weeks of
the year. If such experiences touch young people so
richly and help them grow in such positive ways, then
why aren't they a bigger part of their lives and their
learning? My observation is that forces outside of
education (as well as in) prefer the sedentariness of the
classroom. The reasons for that are too complicated to
address here. Perhaps we should simply be grateful
that at Hammonasset we at least value such activities
and provide them some of the time.
Continued on page 2
Page 2
Headmaster's Letter
his seems to be the season for evaluating. The
Tusual
student evaluation process will occur March
14-16, one of the several distinctive ways that
Hammonasset serves individual needs (where else can
an adolescent feel comfortable about admitting
shortcomings?). We have recently completed a reenrollment drive for 1989-90 that was based upon our
current families assessing whether Hammonasset is
serving their needs adequately. Part of that assessment
process was the February 1 open forum on the program
coordinated by the Education Committee - a valuable
and well attended event.
One of several cogent questions that night was a
request for a self-critical look at our strengths and our
weaknesses. I will only begins to address that question
here.
Hammonasset responds to individual needs and
desires with unusual flexibility. Students get to choose
what they might do for a Masterwork, what they might do
for the Junior Independent Research Paper, or what
they might do for the Community Service project, as
long as the advisor or teacher concerned is convinced
that the choice is appropriately challenging. Students
are encouraged to design tutorials in a wide range of
areas. The committee structure provides families a
focus for talking through the academic, social and
emotional growth issues that adolescents face. We
hope that our graduates will be self-directed learners,
and we spend considerable effort to foster that kind of
independence.
Our strength in serving individual needs through
flexibility stands in some contrast to our attempts to
encourage our students to be productive members of
groups. We have not been as successful in fostering
interpersonal skills and values in classes, in teams, in
play casts, in the whole Hammonasset community. I
usually ask prospective students in the interview just
what talents they have that they might give back to the
Hammonasset community. I often get blank stares in
response to the question; it is not one that adolescents
are used to being asked. I am convinced that we have
to ask that question and that we need to give our
students ways to come up with answers.
"Hammonasset responds to individual
needs and desires with unusual
flexibility."
One of the lessons we need to communicate more
clearly is the interdependence of growth. The growth of
the individual student is intertwined with the growth of
Hammonasset as a community. Students won't grow as
wellwithoutthenurturingthatHammonassetcanprovide,
but it is just as true that Hammonasset will not live or
thrive without significant efforts from our students to
improve the life of the community. To ask any less than
real participation in school life from our students is
ultimately insulting; low expectations of group activity
tell students they are peripheral instead of central to our
learning process. I hope we can find new ways of telling
our students just how important their community efforts,
thoughts, and commitments are to us all.
~~
Why Interim Week continued from page 1
Sometimes I (and other teachers) have students
keep journals during Interim Week, and even have the
students share with each other some of what they have
written. I can't think of a better way to summarize what
I have tried to say above than by quoting from two
student journals written on past canoe trips:
"Many people have told metheyfeellnterim
Week could be better spent in a classroom.
It's because they probably have never
experienced the beauty I have before me
now, except perhaps through the window
oftheircabin cruiserorthe climate controlled
safety of their house on a hill. It's impossible
to explain how much one learns about
themselves and others in one week when
in a situation where outside 'entertainment'
does not exist." [Note: I do not allow
radios or cassette players on the
canoe trips.]
"When spending a week with a
bunch of people you become very
close to them. I'm glad we don't
have to say goodbye now as we
would if we were at a camp or
something. It will make me feel very
different about people that I will see
every day in school, and that makes
each day better."
[Note: Spring Interim Week, Apri/10-14, will soon be
here. The faculty are in the process of putting together
the final list of activities for students to select. You will
be getting that list in the next week or two.]
Page 3
Sixth Annual Silent Auction
saturday, March 18. Keep that date in mind. It's Hammonasset's Sixth
Annual Silent Auction, and according to Jan Potts, this year's chairperson,
it's going to be Y.ei¥. special.
From 5:30 to 8:30p.m., guests will have the opportunity to bid on a wide
assortment of items ranging from the unusual and exotic to the very practical
-a silver squash blossom necklace, Javanese wood carvings, a framed Marc
Chagall print, original watercolor paintings, handmade wool sweaters, pottery, an afternoon of sailing on a 24 foot sloop, dinner for two at a shoreline
restaurant, luggage, an electric guitar, tickets to an Alvin Ailey Dance Concert,
and tools, to mention only a few.
This year a "live" auction component has been added. At 6:45p.m. Harvey
Redak, our auctioneerforthe evening, will spotlight a few major items for bid.
The auction Committee has a few surprises in store for us as well. As always,
hot and cold hors d'oeuvres and drinks will be available at no charge Silent Auction Goodies: Seniorthroughout the evening.
Vicki Able holds a donation to the
Admission is $5.00 per person. If you have not yet received your tickets, silent auction
please call the school at 245-7303 to reserve your place.
The Faculty Room
Two For One
Barbara Saez has been
appointed the Director of
Admissions
and
Development, effective
July 1. Barbara will be
building
on
the
foundations so well
established by Bud
Church and Chris Moses
in their tenures as the
preceding Directors of
Admissions.
Resuming
Resume Review
\
For the coming school
year The Hammonasset
School has several faculty
and staff openings. We
thought that word of mouth
might be an excellent way
to learn aboufcandidates
for these openings. If you
know of anyone who might
be a good candidate for
positions in English,
~reign Language or
Administration, let them
know and ask them to
send a resume to Ruthann
Aylor at the school.
Ruthann can be phoned
at school for further
information regarding
current openings.
Outside The
Learning Center
Marleen
Sansone
teaches Art History to
undergraduates at The
University of New Haven.
SandraKopell has added
teaching dance in East
Hampton to her already
busy schedule. Don
Barkin is in his third
semester of teaching a
graduate writing course at
Wesleyan University.
Marina Melendez will be
on the faculty of the NAIS
(National Association of
Independent Schools) '89
Conference on Diversity.
Don Grace has been
appointed to the CAIS
(Connecticut Association
of Independent Schools)
Commission for Women in
Independent Schools. He
t.las also recently been
named a Corporator of
Middlesex
Memorial
Corporation, the parent
corporation of Middlesex
Memorial Hospital.
Packaging the
Student
A Call for Reform in
College Admissions
By Bud Lichtenstein
Having just returned from a gathering of college
admissions officers and high school guidance
counselors from the New England region, I have a few
things on my mind. Eight hundred and fifty-two people
jammed into meeting halls and discussed everything
from the newest demographic trends to the importance
of attracting and retaining people of colorto our colleges
and universities. It was exhilarating and frustrating.
Though the exact figures have faded, I remember
hearing that in the next few years college admissions
offices will be struggling to maintain current enrollment
due to a drastic drop in the high school student
population. We need to look no fartherthan Connecticut
shoreline communities to see evidence of these drops.
Colleges have been preparing for this drop for years.
Marketing and enrollment management have become
the watchwords of a whole new industry. If you are a
high school junior and checked the right (or wrong) box
on the SAT's, you are aware of the flood of mail these
marketing managers have let loose.
Students are beginning to respond in kind. At this
conference a number of selective colleges complained
that their applicants were beginning to market or
package themselves. Videos, scrapbooks, portfolios,
final exams, research papers, and many unsolicited
recommendations from people who don't even know
Johnny or Janey, are accompanying the usual
requirements to applications. The complaint was that
continued on page 4
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Page 4
The Arts Barn
The Gym
Independent Projects:
Teacher Don Barkin
(rear) and student Mal
Nicholls in "Spittin' Image," a play directed by
junior Beth Schaefer
Spring Student Art Show
Opportunities
Hammon asset School students are invited to submit works
to the following art shows:
Volleyball: Alicia Gammons
•The Shoreline Alliance for the Arts' future Choices '89 Art Show at the
Hammonasset School Arts Barn. This regional student art show opens
on March 17 (see page 10). In the past, many Hamrnonasset students
have entered and been honored in this show.
•The Women's Club of Madison sponsors a high school ~ art
show, held atthe Cummings Center at Connecticut College. Entries will
be picked up from the Arts Barn in mid-March. Qn.e. entry is allowed per
student (seniors only) and specific identification of work is required.
There are also size restrictions.
•The Greater New Haven Area High School Student's Art Show at the
John Slade Ely House in New Haven is scheduled for April 15-30.
For further details, see Marleen Sansone or David Rynick.
Basketball: Shane Gordon
Packaging A 'Student continued from page 3
too much of this extra material was superficial - a
professional videotaping of Johnny's life does not
help colleges assess his talents. The call by many
colleges was to eliminate the packaging. The essay,
recommendations, test scores, class rank, and most
importantly the transcript should be the only
determinants of admission. I agree and disagree.
On the one hand, I think that students should be
portraying themselves honestly. Material that is not
truly reflective of a student's talents (the
recommendation from mom's friend Minnie who went
to Yale but who has never met Janey), should be
entirely discouraged. Students should be judged on
their own merits and not on their connections. All
qualified students must have equal access to higher
education.
And yet qualified is the key word here. I am not
convinced that colleges really get a complete and balanced look at each student's academic, social, athletic, and/or artistic talents. Many students do not get
very detailed recommendations. Similarly, many
colleges do not require an essay. At selective colleges, admissions officers report spending only 10
minutes on each applicant file. Without these pieces
of information or a full picture of the student, colleges
rely heavily on grade point averages, class rank, and
SAT scores. Ouch! As a progressive educator, as aresponsible educator, I must speak out against this overly
simplified, de-humanized view of our children. Comparing students in this fashion is quicker and easier for
institutions like colleges, but individuals get lost in the
process. I am not not saying that the quantifiable aspects
of a student's record are unimportant. But they are far
from the entire picture. Students are individuals with a
unique combination of talents. These talents often go
undetected in the admissions game.
In spite of these practices, I believe there is hope. As
they begin to feel the weight of enrollment shortfalls , not
all colleges will be happy to see their SAT averages
decline. My hope is that an increasing number of colleges
will begin to look deeper into student performance by deemphasizing the SATs (as many including Bowdoin and
Antioch have already done). I'd also like to see students
have the opportunity to present a more detailed picture of
themselves as learners. Earlham has begun to accept
one additional item to a student's file. This may be a
dance video, a research paper, an art portfolio, or even a
poem. One supplement to the application makes sense.
It does not foster a marketing strategy for students.
Rather, it fleshes out the picture. It gives each student a
chance to become real to the reader and not just a number
on a chart.
1.0
Q)
~
The Hammonasset School
s
a.
M
w
T
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s
F
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49:45 am:
Community Meeting
3:45 pm: I vs St.
Lukes J.V. 7:30pm:
College Night for Jrs
********** A umni/ae Phonath bn: 6:00 - 9:00 c.r 1. **********
12
13
11
******* * * * *
16
7 9:45 am: Friday
8
Meeting 5:00 pm:
Opening for
Alumnl/ae & Faculty
Art Show at The
Madison Gallery (thn ~ugh Aprll16)
14
15
lnt e rim w ~ek **** *******
******** ..******Aiumni/ae ( 1 Faculty Art Sho "' at The Madison Gallery (through April 16)*********** *******
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******* ***** Sp
ring Br eak * * * *******
i
24
23
25
9:45am:
Community
Meeting
4:00pm: lvs
Daniel Hand Fr.
26
L = Lacrosse At
Home
I= Lacrosse
Away
T =Tennis At
30
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Home
t = Tennis Away
27
3:30pm: tvs
Cheslre Academy
J.V. 4:00 pm: L vs
Cheslre Academy
J.V.
Sousan & Students to
Springfield , MA
28
29
9:45am: Interim
Week Presentations
Registration deadline
for June SAT's
'
NETC conference in
I
I
Page 6
Notes from the
Admissions Office
News on Life After
Hammonasset
any exciting things have been happening in and
around the admissions office this year.
Visitors now have trained student tour guides to answer questions, visit classes and to conduct question
and answer sessions during open houses.
FacuHy, student & parent volunteers for open houses
have seen attendance records set for the November &
January events. Even Super Bowl Sunday was a very
successful open house date.
Admissions testing has now been separated from the
interview process. Testing will be held on weekends
throughout the spring and summer. Reaction has been
positive to the new system. Visitors can now enjoy their
half day visits without 'test anxiety'.
With all of these new developments, facuHy, parent
and student volunteers are crucial to the admissions
office. Thank you for helping to make the admissions
process so informative, pleasant and professional..'\
Where Are You in the College Search
Process?
M
c'iiAJ4
Seniors: All applications, financial aid requests, and
recommendations should be off by this time of the year.
This is not to say that colleges will not entertain
applications after February. Many fine colleges and
universities will accept applications into the spring. But
many of the more selective institutions have early
closing dates. Housing at many colleges fills up early as
well.
I recommend that visits continue. No student should
choose to attend a university without first getting on the
campus. Many schools have receptions for accepted
candidates. Make informed choices.
May 1 is the national reply deadline. If you are
planning to attend school X, you must let them know of
'1//p~ your intentions by May 1 and inform other schools that
you choose not to attend. This date is a crucial one.
Financial aid packages are usually sent with
acceptances. If you need help understanding these or
have any questions, feel free to call me at school or
better yet speak to a financial aid officer atthe particular
university.
The Hammonasset School
Announces
Spring Open Houses
~
~
Sunday
7:30- 9:00p.m.
May
21
~
~
Wednesd_ay
1:30- 3:30 p.m.
May
24
Open AIDS Panel
On March 10 from 9:45- 11:15 a.m., representatives
from the Red Cross, Planned Parenthood, and Project
AIDS New Haven will be sitting on a panel to discuss the
AIDS issue. All members of the Hammonasset
community are welcome. If you have any questions,
please contact Bonnie Garmisa or Sou san Arafeh at the
school.
Juniors: The most important thing you can do is "pull it
together''. This year is an important one in the college
process. Your academic, athletic, ancl/or artistic record
will be scrutinized as will be your participation in other
aspects of school and community life.
Begin thinking about what you want to do with your
Life After Hammonasset. Do you want to go to college?
Why? Why not? Begin to have discussions with friends,
parents, current seniors, teachers, and your senior
advisor assessing the range of opportunities open to
you.
Junior's College Night Is Tuesday, April4. At 7:30
p.m. Jim Montoya, the Director of Admissions of Vassar
College will speak to the community. All are encouraged
to attend.
Visit!!!!!! As the spring session wears on, you should
begin to visit college campuses. The only way to know
if a college is right for you is to: take the official college
tour. walk the campus alone afterwards. interview with
the admissions offjce. attend a few classes. and even
stay overnight in a dorm. If you are not sure of your
chances at a school, I recommend that you take a copy
of your transcript to the interview as well.
SAT's should be taken in May. A form to sign up for
these will come home in early March. Students
performing very well in language, science, or history
courses should be taking the Achievement test in June.
--------~~~~~~~~"~"·~·-"·~·-~1
I
Page 7
Alumni/ae Notes
There's been a welcome development in wonderful long letter from Heloise Hambley levy from
the Alumni news collection department Walnut Creek, CA. Heloise is a convinced Californian,
having started out as a certified travel consultant, and
Christmas and Holiday Cards! Quite a number then becoming a computer programmer for World
of you put Hammonasset on your lists this Airways. She's now technical support manager for a
year, and it was wonderful to hear from you. software company which designs marketing tools for
The cards were mounted and displayed at the life insurance companies. Heloise was married to Michael
December 30th Alumni Reunion, so you were Levy, a graduate of University of the Pacific in pre-law
and communications. He works for U.S. Sprint as a
here in more than spirit. It's also been good to major account executive. They own a house which has
have so many letters as well as good notes a back yard much in need of work, which is underway,
sent along with Alumni Fund gifts. Without all and have a powerboat for waterskiing. Heloise is still
these bits and pieces, the Alumni Notes Column running, skiing and swimming, competing when time
just wouldn't be possible. So thank you, and allows.
keep it up!
~
f85 David Carr reported via a Santa Claus card
91
~ ~ 74.llick and Julie Kennedy, who are living in
Stamford, CT, expect their first child next July.
~ ~ 75}Margreet Bouhuys Cragg sent a birth
announcement for Skyler Johannus, born last October
23. Margreet does research and development work for
the Leroux Creek Foods fruit dehydration company.
She'd love to hearmorefromAiums andwouldwelcome
anyone coming skiing in central Colorado. Ann Usher
Cummings wrote an appreciative letter about the letter
from Martin Lewis, '88 in the last Newsletter, comparing
Martin's feelings about Hammonasset with her own.
She added ... "through ali the changes, and growth, the
school has kept its essence: to help young people learn
who they are, and hold tight to that knowledge and
security ... and to challenge life." Ann wrote from Moab,
Utah, where she was just starting a new day with her 16
month old daughter Cady, and sent Christmas and New
Year's greetings.
1S
~ ~
Cynthia Cahouet, after a move from South
Dakota to summerwork in counseling in Massachusetts,
can now be found in Santa Fe, scouting out job
possibilities. Bruce Lyon sent a Holiday card, saying he
had to miss the reunion because of work schedules:
"such is the retail world!" Jamie McGann did get to the
reunion. He's been married to Debi since June 27,
1987, and is the father of Jamie Ill, born last August 16,
and now weighing in at 18 lbs, and 26 1/4 inches. Jamie
(father) is head of the Art Department at N&D Novelty
Powers Screen Printing in Hamden. Ilona Trousdale is
working on her PhD dissertation in Mathematics at RPI,
and was married to William O'Neill this past summer.
~ 977Heather Baker was spotted in Old Lyme just
after Christmas, on her way to New York after a year or
so in Japan. Anne Cassidy was married to Tom this fall,
and is still in Maine. A Christmas card from Bill Dempsey
and his wife Jill from Killingworth was welcome, and put
him back on the "address list." Now come and visit! A
that he's still living in Philadelphia "purveying gourmet
foods for my clients." He and Lorraine "have a date in
September. '89" and David hopes to have a branch
office in CTby 1990.lisa Hannum Holmes and Stephen
expect their first baby in August, and will be returning to
CT from CA sometime next year.
919
~
Katie Baker is at Northeastern, studying for
a Masters in Education. She hopes to go into secondary
teaching. Will Hine was at the reunion, and told us that
this March marks his fourth year atthe Naval Underwater
Sound Center in New London. He's a volunteer at the
Garde Arts Center, which will present, among other
offerings, "Sugar Babies" and "Les Ballets de Jazz of
Montreal". He'd like to add any names to the mailing list,
in addition to welcoming friends at the theater. Jeff lves
and Linda Doane lves '80, are busy restoring a house
and learning a lot about the charm of old houses with
unsquare walls, pests and plumbing. Jeff's an electrician
and Linda's a realtor. They were married in Goshen, CT
on October 10, 1987.
~ ~t85((J) Caleb Penniman is a bike racer, living in
Tucson, Arizona, and spending time also in Colorado.
He gets back to CT in summers.
t8
~ 9
~ Good card from t.aurie Manchester, who's
been married for a year and a half to Vladislav Shute, an
actor. She's just completed her course work for a PhD
degree in Russian History at Columbia, and is writing
her dissertation. She's also been teaching at Columbia.
laurie sends regards to Jim Russell, Tom West, Cynthia
David, Mark Johnson and Anna Bowditch.
~
9t82 Nothing but silence this time.
~ ~ t8 3Aiice
Helander had a one person show of
collages at the Ingrid Cusson Gallery in New York
continued on page 6
Page 8
Reunion Report
continued from page 7
during January. It would be great to have some of
Alice's work atthe AlumnVae Art Show in April. Samantha
Pearce Carini has been sent an apology and explanation
of the odd comment in the last Newsletter, which said,
in effect, she has "a one year old child. Sorry." A line
reading ''we don't know if it's a boy or girl" was left out
by the printer. We now know, thanks to a good letter
from Samantha, that she has a son, Christopher Pearce
Carini, just 3 years old. Samantha's an accounting
major, and plans to graduate in May. Her brother
Damon Pearce '84, is a full time student at Southern,
and is thinking about transferring to the University of
Vermont, possibly with a major in History. Damon also
works at the Long Wharf Theater, has a full time job at
Macalaster Bicknell, and shares an apartment in New
Haven with Stuart Gailey, '81. Samantha's been in
touch with paliah Endlemann and Tim Nugent '82, and
reports she thinks Ulysses Owen-Mankovich is at Adelphi
College in Long Island.
~ ~ ~ 5Lauren Blackford is with a program at Oberlin
tied to a multi-racial program in Johannesburg, and will
be in South Africa for the entire spring semester.
~ ~~6
Sam Mathis took the fall semester off and
spent time in Mexico and Guatemala. Sam was back at
UVM in time for winter snow. AI Wiegman returned in
December from a semester in Geneva, studying history
and economics, and traveling, when time allowed, in
Germany, Switzerland and Italy. Al's now back at HobartWilliam Smith College.
~ ~~ 7 Not a word.
~ ~~~
Ingrid Morral works for Pets Unlimited in
West Haven, and has plans to apply to college for the
'89-'90 school year. Chris Wiegman has completed his
first semester at Rochester Institute of Technology, and
loves it. Chris is studying photography.
n
f ~ © 1!.!1 u~WHoliday greetings have been received
from former science teacher pan Dorsey, studying at
Harvard's School of Education, after working in Seattle
last summer, and Mark Johnson who has sold his
Agway in New York State and hopes to return to
education in some forrn.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
:
Attention Alums
:
• If you have not completed and returned •
•
·
•
: your questionnaire yet, please do It soon. :
•
Thanks •
!
Bud L. !
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
'88 graduates Margriet Mitchell, Anna Hoberman
and Greg Lowrey at this year's Reunion
Agood turnout for this year's Reunion on December
30th. It's obviously not the best time for everyone, and
if you have suggestions for another date, please let us
know.
In no particular order, and probably missing a few of
.you, the following people were on hand, some with
friends, some with wives or husbands, and a few with
children:
Alice Sarsheen '87, Marla Zullo '86, Liann Tyson
Hopkinson '83, with her daughter Alicia, Holly Texeira
continued on page 9
• ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Alumni/ae-Faculty
Art Show
The arts have always been an important part of The ,
Hammonasset School. As a recognition and celebration
of this fact, we will be having our first Alumni/ae
Faculty Juried Art Exhibit from AprilS to April16 at
The Madison Gallery at 845 Boston Post Road in
Madison. All alumnVae and current & past faculty are
invited to submit up to three works of art to be juried for
the show.
This exhibit is a follow-up to last year's successful
alumni/ae-faculty art exhibit with some important
changes. Last year's exhibit was open to all submissions
and was held in the Arts Barn. Having this year's exhibit
attheMadisonGallerywillgivetheshowaprofessional
visibility that we could not hope to have in the Arts Barn.
We are hoping that by having this exhibit in a more
professional setting, we will be able to attract more of
our alums who have gone on from Hammonasset to
pursue their art work seriously .
Page 9
An Open Letter from Chit Ide
Hello There Hammonasset Alum On February 7th, I went back to Hammonasset for
a day. In many ways I felt as if I had gone back in time.
The possibilities I felt on Hammonasset's opening day
in 1973 and the reluctance with which I left upon
graduating in 1976 came rushing back to me.
It's been almost thirteen years since I was a student
at Hammonasset. When Connie Pike approached me
about serving as the AlumnVae Representative on the
Board of Trustees, I hesitated. Had the school lost its
heart and soul over the years? Was the founding spirit
of Hammonasset still alive? I accepted the position last
summer because of my positive past with the school,
but I was concerned about how the past would converge
with the realities of the present.
During my first six months on the Board, my gut
reaction to the school was good. The Board listened
with respect to my input. The faculty was both dedicated
and remarkable. The few students I had met were
impressive and diverse.
Finally, I went to visit the school to see for myself. I
was scared. What would I find? I began my day by
running into Deac Etherington, a former classmateturned-teacher, in the faculty lounge. Things were off to
a good start. In class the students were creative and
questioning. They also knew how to think- really think.
They even sat on the tables. Classes were small and
individualized. Things were looking even better.
To top it all off, there was a Community Meeting that
day. The content was the same- collective addressing
of problems and gripes, recognition of the individual,
promotionofschoolactivitiesandgive-and-take. There
was even a fairly sophisticated discussion of current
political issues.
1 felt as if I had come home to the Hammonasset I
knew in the 1970's. The grades, the changes in course
requirements, the ''fence" around the library area and
Reunion RepottcontinuedJrom page 8
Holloman '83, Tom Holloman '80 and their sons Thomas
and Joaquin, Laura Baker '87, Kristen Emack '84, Kerry
Holcombe '87, Miranda Nelken '86, Paul Hartung '82,
Steve Derenthal'86, David Hennessey '88, Leif Nilsson
'80, David Picton '86, David Kone, Amy DeStefano '88,
Kim McCarty-Bennitt, Allie Holly-Gottlieb, James Gourlay
'86, Laura Wakem Coyne '77, Alyson Gerard '83, Steve
Scotten '87, Faith McCann '77, William Hine '79, James
McGann '76, with his wife Debi and son Jamie, Margriet
Mitchell '88, Peter Stevenson '79, Martin Lewis '88,
Mada Holtzman '88, Anna Hoberman '88 and Greg
Lowry '88.
There to welcome all these people were Barbara
Saez, Director of Development, and other members of
the faculty. Anna Bowditch and her husband Frank were
also on hand, and it was good to see them as always.
even the 1980's have not stripped the school of its heart
and soul.
"The grades, the changes in course
requirements, the ftfence" around the
library area and even the 1980's have
not stripped the school of its heart and
soul."
The biggest change was less a product of the school
than of the times: A student complained that he hadn't
received a letter grade on an assignment.lmaginethat.
I'm so pleased the the Hammonasset we all loved is
still there. I'm convinced.
Hope to see you all in the near future -
: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • :
•
Alu mni/ae Activities
•
:For any alums would like to come back to
• Hammonasset for a look or get involved in
: alumni/ae activities, an Alumni Council
·
meeting will be held on Wednesday, March
15 at 7:00p.m. at Hammonasset. An Alumni/
ae Phonathon will be held at the school
during the week of April 3. For more
information about alumni/ae activities, call
Barbara Saez at the school.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••
The Hammonasset School Newsletter
SPRING 1989
The Hammonasset School Newsletter is sent free of
charge to alumni/ae, parents, trustees and friends of
the school. Please send alumni/ae news and
correspondence to Connie Pike, The Hammonasset
School, P.O. Box 844, Madison, CT 06443
Donald Grace, Headmaster
Bonnie Garmisa, Editor
Connie Pike, Alumni/ae Notes
Contributors
Bud Church, Bonnie Garmisa, Don Grace, Lynne
Ide, Bud Lichtenstein, Chris Moses, David Rynick,
Barbara Saez
Photos
Peter Allison, Bonnie Garmisa, David Rynick
.I
I
March 17 & 18: Not Just Another Weekend in March
March to Hammonasset for a weekend of dance, art, shopping, food,
drink & fun
®®~M[J<9J®W
. [F[Jo<9J®W
March
Dance
The Hammonasset School
Dance-Theater-Music
Concert
8 PM in the Commons
$5 adults $3 students
'
The Hammonasset School
Silent Auction
Future
Choices '89 Art Show Opening: 6 to 8 PM
The Hammonasset School
Madison, Connecticut 06443
5:30 - 8:30 PM in the Commons
$ 5 per person
Bulk Rate
U.S. Postage
PAID
Madison, CT 06443
Permit No. 40
Address correction requested
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J